The present invention relates to a disk loading apparatus capable of recording on or reproducing from a disk-shaped recording medium (simply referred to as a disk, hereafter) such as a CD and a DVD.
FIGS. 7 and 8 are side cross sectional views of conventional disk loading apparatus. FIG. 7 shows the go situation in which a disk 1 is in a state on the way of being inserted into the conventional disk loading apparatus. FIG. 8 shows the situation in which the disk 1 is clamped in the conventional disk loading apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 7, in the conventional disk loading apparatus, the disk 1 inserted to the apparatus is drawn into the inside of the apparatus by the rotational motion of a roller 18. The roller 18 is provided with a coiled spring 21 serving as enforcing means for causing the roller to push the bottom surface of the disk 1. The disk 1 drawn into the inside of the apparatus is positioned on a turntable 19, and then clamped rotatably by a clamp 16. The turntable 19 is linked directly to the rotary shaft of a spindle motor 30, thereby rotating the clamped disk 1 at a desired speed.
The clamp 16 for retaining the disk 1 is retained by a clamp holder 17, and the clamp holder 17 is configured so as to rotate by a predetermined angle around a rotary center shaft 20. When the disk 1 is inserted to or ejected from the apparatus, the clamp 16 is lifted up by the rotational motion of the clamp holder 17, whereby the clamped state of the disk 1 is released. Also in the ejection of the disk 1, the roller 18 pushes the bottom surface of the disk 1, thereby moving the disk 1 in a direction of the ejection.
In the conventional disk loading apparatus having the above-mentioned configuration, when the disk 1 is inserted, the clamp holder 17 rotates around the rotary center shaft 20 serving as the fulcrum, thereby lifting up the clamp 16, whereby the inserted disk 1 is drawn in by the rotational motion of the roller 18 and then positioned above the turntable 19. When the disk 1 is positioned above the turntable 19, the disk 1 is clamped by the clamp holder 17 and the roller 18, and then pushed down as a whole body onto the turntable 19. The disk 1 placed on the turntable 19 is clamped by the clamp 16 pushed down by the clamp holder 17. After the disk 1 is clamped onto the turntable 19, the roller 18 and the clamp holder 17 move departing from the disk 1, thereby being positioned with a gap from the disk 1.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 11-238278 discloses a disk loading apparatus in which a disk is placed on a disk tray and then loaded. In the conventional disk loading apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 11-238278, in order for the disk to be prevented from contacting with the other members when the disk placed on the disk tray is inserted to the inside of the apparatus, a clamp is removed from a turntable by magnetic attracting means in the unloading state. In the loading state, the clamp is attracted to the turntable side by another magnetic attracting means, and the disk on the turntable is retained by a centering mechanism provided in the clamp. According to this configuration, in the conventional disk loading apparatus, a rather wide gap is provided between the clamp and the turntable in the unloading state, whereby the contact with the disk has been prevented.
In the conventional disk loading apparatus, in order for the disk 1 to be securely prevented from contacting with the clamp 16, the turntable 19, and the like when the disk 1 is drawn In or ejected, it has been necessary to provide a gap a (see FIG. 7) serving as a large space between the turntable 19 and the clamp 16. In such a disk loading apparatus, reduction of the size and the thickness of the apparatus is an object to be achieved in this technical field. Nevertheless, in the conventional disk loading apparatus, the necessity of a large space between the turntable 19 and the clamp 16 has caused a large problem in reduction of the size and the thickness of the apparatus. Further, the centering mechanism provided in the clamp section by means of a plurality of magnetic attracting means has caused a difficulty in reduction of the size and the thickness of the apparatus.
The invention has been devised in order to resolve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the invention is to obtain a disk loading apparatus in which reduction of the size and the thickness of the apparatus is achieved, and in which an inserted disk is clamped stably and securely, whereby damage in the recording surface of the disk is prevented and hence high reliability is obtained.
A disk loading apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
disk transferring means for drawing and ejecting an inserted disk to and from the inside of the apparatus;
clamp means configured so as to be floatable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of disk insertion and configured so as to go outside the path of disk insertion when being confronted with the inserted disk;
turntable means on which the inserted disk is placed and which is driven by a spindle motor;
information reading means for reading the information on the inserted disk; and
traverse means configured so as to move the information reading means in the direction of a disk diameter and so as to move said turntable means and cause it to press said clamp means.
The disk loading apparatus having the above-mentioned configuration according to the invention can realize the reduction of the size and the thickness.
In a disk loading apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention, said traverse means is a traverse unit, which is configured so as to rotate around a rotary shaft provided in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the loaded disk and cause said turntable means to move between a replay waiting position and a replay position.
The disk loading apparatus having the above-mentioned configuration according to the invention can realize the reduction of the size and the thickness, and further clamp the inserted disk stably and securely in the apparatus.
In the configuration of a disk loading apparatus according to another aspect of the invention, said disk transferring means comprises a roller which rotates with pushing the inserted disk and thereby performs the drawing-in action and the ejection action of the disk, whereby when the disk is positioned in the replay position, said turntable means is lifted up toward said clamp means, thereby clamping the disk.
The disk loading apparatus having the above-mentioned configuration according to the invention can realize the reduction of the size and the thickness, and further prevent damage in the recording surface of the disk.
While the novel features of the invention are set forth particularly in the appended claims, the invention, both as to organization and content, will be better understood and appreciated, along with other objects and features thereof, from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings.